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Coordinates: 35°02′15″N 32°26′00″E / 35.0375°N 32.4333°E / 35.0375; 32.4333
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{{Infobox ancient site
{{Infobox ancient site
|name = Marion
|name = Marion
|native_name =
|native_name = Μάριον
|alternate_name =
|alternate_name =
|image = File:Chypriotische koninkrijken.PNG|thumb
|image = File:Ancient kingdoms of Cyprus en.svg
|alt =
|alt =
|caption = Map showing the ancient city Kingdoms of Cyprus
|caption = Map showing the ancient city Kingdoms of Cyprus
|map_type = Cyprus
|map_type = Cyprus
|map_alt =
|map_alt =
|latitude = 35.0375
|longitude = 32.433333
|map_size = 250
|map_size = 250
|location = [[Cyprus]]
|location = [[Cyprus]]
|region = [[Paphos District]]
|region = [[Paphos District]]
|coordinates = {{Coord|35.0375|32.433333|display=title}}
|coordinates = {{Coord|35.0375|32.4333|display=title,inline}}
|type =
|type =
|part_of =
|part_of =
Line 38: Line 36:
|notes =
|notes =
}}
}}
'''Marion''' ({{lang-el|Μάριον}}) was one of the [[Ten city-kingdoms of Cyprus|Ten city-kingdoms]] of [[Cyprus]]. It was situated in the north-west of the island in the [[Akamas]] region, close to the present town of [[Polis, Cyprus|Polis]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Iron Age Kingdom of Marion |journal=Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research|date=November 1997|first=William|last=Childs|volume=308|issue=308|pages=37–48|doi= 10.2307/1357408|format=|publisher=The American Schools of Oriental Research|jstor=1357408}}</ref> Both [[Strabo]] and [[Pliny the Elder]] mention the city in their writings.
'''Marion''' ({{lang-el|Μάριον}}) was one of the [[Ten city-kingdoms of Cyprus|Ten city-kingdoms]] of [[Cyprus]]. It was situated in the north-west of the island in the [[Akamas]] region, close to or under the present town of [[Polis, Cyprus|Polis]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Iron Age Kingdom of Marion |journal=Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research|date=November 1997|first=William|last=Childs|volume=308|issue=308|pages=37–48|doi= 10.2307/1357408|publisher=The American Schools of Oriental Research|jstor=1357408|s2cid=163258760}}</ref> Both [[Strabo]] and [[Pliny the Elder]] mention the city in their writings.


==History==
⚫
The city was founded in the 7th century BC and grew wealthy from the nearby copper and gold mines. It also served as an important trading port for both metal and timber. The current port of Latchi, is built on the foundations of this ancient harbour, where its remnants are visible to this day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.cs.ucy.ac.cy/navigationdusavoir/CyprusPortal/navaldockyards/MaterialHeritage/AncientAge/Architecture/portOfMarion.htm |title=World of naval dockyards - The port of the kingdom of Marion |accessdate=2007-03-05 |publisher=[[University of Cyprus]] }}</ref>
{{See also|Ancient history of Cyprus}}
[[File:Marion sarcophagus.jpg|thumb|left|Hellenistic limestone sarcophagus from Marion, Polis Museum]]
In 450 BC, the city was conquered by the Athenian general [[Kimon]] during his Cyprus campaign. He was pursuing the Persians following the [[Battle of Salamis (in Cyprus)]] in an attempt to re establish Athenian supremacy in the Eastern Mediterranean. It was eventually destroyed in 312 BC by [[Ptolemy I]] and was later replaced by the nearby city of [[Arsinoe (Northwest Cyprus)|Arsinoe]].
[[File:Marion tomb sculpture.jpg|thumb|left|tomb sculpture from Marion, Polis Museum]]
[[File:Marion terracottas, tomb contents.jpg|thumb|unique styles of terracottas from tomb contents, Marion, Polis Museum]]

Marion was already inhabited at the end of the [[Neolithic]] and through the [[Chalcolithic]] period. It began to prosper from the Cypro-Archaic period onwards and became one of the most important ancient Cypriot city&mdash;kingdoms in the Cypro-Classical period with important commercial relations with the East [[Aegean Sea|Aegean islands]], [[Attica]] and [[Corinth]].

According to tradition, Athenian [[Acamas, son of Theseus]], disembarked near Polis after the [[Trojan war]] and gave his name to the Cape of [[Akamas]] and the city of [[Akamantis]], a legendary city which has never been found. Marion was probably founded by Acamas or a certain Marieus.

In [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]] at [[Medinet Habu (temple)|Medinet Habu]] in the [[Abu Simbel temples|temples]] of [[Ramesses III]], there is a large 12th-century BC inscription which refers to Cypriot towns including Marion.

The [[Mycenaeans]], or [[Achaeans (Homer)|Achaeans]] settled in Cyprus between 1400 and 1100 BC and Marion was one of the city-kingdoms they founded.

⚫
The city became wealthy from the nearby copper and gold mines. It also served as an important trading port for both metal and timber. The foundations of the ancient harbour are visible to this day in the current port of Latchi.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.cs.ucy.ac.cy/navigationdusavoir/CyprusPortal/navaldockyards/MaterialHeritage/AncientAge/Architecture/portOfMarion.htm |title=World of naval dockyards - the port of the kingdom of Marion |access-date=2007-03-05 |publisher=[[University of Cyprus]] }}</ref>

The first definite reference to Marion occurred in 449 BC when [[Kimon]], the great Athenian general, freed the city from the [[Persian Empire|Persians]] following the [[Battle of Salamis (in Cyprus)|Battle of Salamis]] and in an attempt to re-establish Athenian supremacy in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Later, the ancient geographers spoke of the town as "Marion Hellenikon"&mdash;The Hellenic Marion. The Kingdom was rich in [[gold]] and [[copper]] ore, mined chiefly in the nearby [[Limni Mines]]. It was the natural wealth which led the city to a period of flourishing trade, especially with [[History of Athens|Athens]], which in its turn, exported many [[Attic]] pots to Marion. Samples of this pottery can be viewed at the Polis Museum.

The battle for Cyprus between the successors of [[Alexander the Great]], [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus]] and [[Ptolemy I Soter|Ptolemy]], led Marion to destruction in 312 BC. Ptolemy, who finally prevailed, laid waste the city whose last king ([[Stasioikos II]]) had taken the side of Antigonus, and transferred its inhabitants to Paphos. Later, another member of the Ptolemy dynasty, [[Philadelphus]], founded a [[Arsinoe (Northwest Cyprus)|new city]] on the ruins of Marion in about 270 BC and gave it the name of his wife, [[Arsinoe II|Arsinoe]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0006:id=marion|title=The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, MAASTRICHT Limburg, Netherlands. , MARION later ARSINOE (Polis) Cyprus}}</ref> The city, under its new name, prospered during the [[Hellenistic]] and Roman Ages.

According to Strabo there was a grove sacred to [[Zeus]].<ref>Strabo 14.683</ref>
[[File:Kouros, 510-500 BC, Marion, Cyprus, BM Sculpture B325, 143052.jpg|thumb|upright|Kouros excavated from Tomb 92 in Marion now in the British Museum]]


==Excavations==
==Excavations==

Archaeological excavations of the area were first undertaken by the [[Swedish Cyprus Expedition]] between 1927 and 1931.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Swedish Cyprus Expedition: Vol. IV|journal=The Journal of Hellenic Studies|year=1949|first=E.|last=Gjerstad|author2=P. Dikaios|volume=69|issue=|pages=124|doi= 10.2307/629546|format=|publisher=The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies|jstor=629546}}</ref><ref>E. Gjerstad, J. Lindros, E. Sjöqvist, A. Westholm, The Swedish Cyprus Expedition (Vols I-IV)</ref> This was followed by the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, and since 1983 by the [[Princeton University|Princeton]] Cyprus Expedition.<ref>Childs W.P., 1988 "First preliminary report on the excavations at Polis Chrysochous by Princeton University", Report of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus (1988), Nicosia, 121-130</ref><ref>Childs W.P., 1999 "Princeton excavations at Polis Chrysochous 1994-1997", Report of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus (1999), Nicosia, p223-237</ref>
Archaeological excavations of the area were first undertaken by the [[Swedish Cyprus Expedition]] between 1927 and 1931.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Swedish Cyprus Expedition: Vol. IV|journal=The Journal of Hellenic Studies|year=1949|first=E.|last=Gjerstad|author2=P. Dikaios|volume=69|pages=124|doi= 10.2307/629546|publisher=The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies|jstor=629546}}</ref><ref>E. Gjerstad, J. Lindros, E. Sjöqvist, A. Westholm, The Swedish Cyprus Expedition (Vols I-IV)</ref> They were followed by the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, and since 1983 by the [[Princeton University|Princeton]] Cyprus Expedition.<ref>Childs W.P., 1988 "First preliminary report on the excavations at Polis Chrysochous by Princeton University", Report of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus (1988), Nicosia, 121-130</ref><ref>Childs W.P., 1999 "Princeton excavations at Polis Chrysochous 1994-1997", Report of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus (1999), Nicosia, p223-237</ref>


E. Linder and A. Raban carried out the only investigation of the remains of the harbour in 1971.<ref>Raban A., 1995 "The Heritage of Ancient Harbour Engineering in Cyprus and the Levant" in Karageorgis V. – D. Michaelides (ed.), Proceedings of the International Symposium Cyprus and the Sea, Nicosia, p165</ref>
E. Linder and A. Raban carried out the only investigation of the remains of the harbour in 1971.<ref>Raban A., 1995 "The Heritage of Ancient Harbour Engineering in Cyprus and the Levant" in Karageorgis V. – D. Michaelides (ed.), Proceedings of the International Symposium Cyprus and the Sea, Nicosia, p165</ref>

However very few remains of the city have been found except for a temple to [[Zeus]] and [[Aphrodite]] and many tombs, some of whose contents can be seen in the Polis museum. The sanctuary of Zeus and Aphrodite dates from the 6th to 4th c. BC and was burnt and destroyed by the Ptolomies in 312 BC. The colossal terracotta statue found in it was probably a votive gift, and is the largest clay sculpture found in the island.

A fine marble [[kouros]] from Marion is now in the British Museum.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=464245&partId=1|title=Statue &#124; British Museum}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
Line 55: Line 79:
*[[Princeton University]] [http://web.princeton.edu/sites/Archaeology/rp/polisexhibit/intro.html Cyprus Expedition]
*[[Princeton University]] [http://web.princeton.edu/sites/Archaeology/rp/polisexhibit/intro.html Cyprus Expedition]


{{Ancient Cities of Cyprus}}
{{Ancient Cities of Cyprus}}{{Phoenician cities and colonies|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Cities in ancient Cyprus]]
[[Category:Cities in ancient Cyprus]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Cyprus]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Cyprus]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Cyprus]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Cyprus]]
[[Category:Polis, Cyprus]]
[[Category:Phoenician colonies in Cyprus]]

Latest revision as of 18:46, 18 May 2023

Marion
Μάριον
Map showing the ancient city Kingdoms of Cyprus
Marion, Cyprus is located in Cyprus
Marion, Cyprus
Shown within Cyprus
LocationCyprus
RegionPaphos District
Coordinates35°02′15″N 32°26′00″E / 35.0375°N 32.4333°E / 35.0375; 32.4333

Marion (Greek: Μάριον) was one of the Ten city-kingdoms of Cyprus. It was situated in the north-west of the island in the Akamas region, close to or under the present town of Polis.[1] Both Strabo and Pliny the Elder mention the city in their writings.

History

[edit]
See also: Ancient history of Cyprus
Hellenistic limestone sarcophagus from Marion, Polis Museum
tomb sculpture from Marion, Polis Museum
unique styles of terracottas from tomb contents, Marion, Polis Museum

Marion was already inhabited at the end of the Neolithic and through the Chalcolithic period. It began to prosper from the Cypro-Archaic period onwards and became one of the most important ancient Cypriot city—kingdoms in the Cypro-Classical period with important commercial relations with the East Aegean islands, Attica and Corinth.

According to tradition, Athenian Acamas, son of Theseus, disembarked near Polis after the Trojan war and gave his name to the Cape of Akamas and the city of Akamantis, a legendary city which has never been found. Marion was probably founded by Acamas or a certain Marieus.

In Egypt at Medinet Habu in the temples of Ramesses III, there is a large 12th-century BC inscription which refers to Cypriot towns including Marion.

The Mycenaeans, or Achaeans settled in Cyprus between 1400 and 1100 BC and Marion was one of the city-kingdoms they founded.

The city became wealthy from the nearby copper and gold mines. It also served as an important trading port for both metal and timber. The foundations of the ancient harbour are visible to this day in the current port of Latchi.[2]

The first definite reference to Marion occurred in 449 BC when Kimon, the great Athenian general, freed the city from the Persians following the Battle of Salamis and in an attempt to re-establish Athenian supremacy in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Later, the ancient geographers spoke of the town as "Marion Hellenikon"—The Hellenic Marion. The Kingdom was rich in gold and copper ore, mined chiefly in the nearby Limni Mines. It was the natural wealth which led the city to a period of flourishing trade, especially with Athens, which in its turn, exported many Attic pots to Marion. Samples of this pottery can be viewed at the Polis Museum.

The battle for Cyprus between the successors of Alexander the Great, Antigonus and Ptolemy, led Marion to destruction in 312 BC. Ptolemy, who finally prevailed, laid waste the city whose last king (Stasioikos II) had taken the side of Antigonus, and transferred its inhabitants to Paphos. Later, another member of the Ptolemy dynasty, Philadelphus, founded a new city on the ruins of Marion in about 270 BC and gave it the name of his wife, Arsinoe.[3] The city, under its new name, prospered during the Hellenistic and Roman Ages.

According to Strabo there was a grove sacred to Zeus.[4]

Kouros excavated from Tomb 92 in Marion now in the British Museum

Excavations

[edit]

Archaeological excavations of the area were first undertaken by the Swedish Cyprus Expedition between 1927 and 1931.[5][6] They were followed by the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, and since 1983 by the Princeton Cyprus Expedition.[7][8]

E. Linder and A. Raban carried out the only investigation of the remains of the harbour in 1971.[9]

However very few remains of the city have been found except for a temple to Zeus and Aphrodite and many tombs, some of whose contents can be seen in the Polis museum. The sanctuary of Zeus and Aphrodite dates from the 6th to 4th c. BC and was burnt and destroyed by the Ptolomies in 312 BC. The colossal terracotta statue found in it was probably a votive gift, and is the largest clay sculpture found in the island.

A fine marble kouros from Marion is now in the British Museum.[10]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Childs, William (November 1997). "The Iron Age Kingdom of Marion". Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research. 308 (308). The American Schools of Oriental Research: 37–48. doi:10.2307/1357408. JSTOR 1357408. S2CID 163258760.
  2. ^ "World of naval dockyards - the port of the kingdom of Marion". University of Cyprus. Retrieved 2007-03-05.
  3. ^ "The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, MAASTRICHT Limburg, Netherlands. , MARION later ARSINOE (Polis) Cyprus".
  4. ^ Strabo 14.683
  5. ^ Gjerstad, E.; P. Dikaios (1949). "The Swedish Cyprus Expedition: Vol. IV". The Journal of Hellenic Studies. 69. The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies: 124. doi:10.2307/629546. JSTOR 629546.
  6. ^ E. Gjerstad, J. Lindros, E. Sjöqvist, A. Westholm, The Swedish Cyprus Expedition (Vols I-IV)
  7. ^ Childs W.P., 1988 "First preliminary report on the excavations at Polis Chrysochous by Princeton University", Report of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus (1988), Nicosia, 121-130
  8. ^ Childs W.P., 1999 "Princeton excavations at Polis Chrysochous 1994-1997", Report of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus (1999), Nicosia, p223-237
  9. ^ Raban A., 1995 "The Heritage of Ancient Harbour Engineering in Cyprus and the Levant" in Karageorgis V. – D. Michaelides (ed.), Proceedings of the International Symposium Cyprus and the Sea, Nicosia, p165
  10. ^ "Statue | British Museum".
[edit]
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